The NEXT Study Virtual Narrative Exposure Therapy for Perinatal PTSD in Women Aged 18 to 50

What this Trial Is About

The NEXT Study is a pilot randomized controlled trial evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of a revised perinatal PTSD treatment protocol. It focuses on perinatal women with post-traumatic stress disorder, aiming to find the most suitable brief virtual intervention for this group. The study compares a new therapy approach with usual care to improve support for women during pregnancy and postpartum. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups the treatment group receives Narrative Exposure Therapy NET, a manualized, short-term exposure-based intervention delivered virtually in about four sessions. NET includes psychoeducation, constructing a life events timeline, exposure sessions to retell traumatic events, and reading a written trauma narrative. The comparator group receives usual care involving symptom monitoring and encouragement to engage with mental health resources, with NET offered after study assessments. During the study, participants complete assessments at baseline, 12 weeks post-baseline, and 24 weeks post-baseline, including PTSD symptom checklists, depression scales, life events inventories, and quality of life measures. Weekly to biweekly symptom monitoring occurs during the 12-week intervention period. Researchers track feasibility and acceptability of the NET protocol, using questionnaires and interviews. The total study duration spans up to 24 weeks after baseline for follow-up evaluations.

The New Empowerment After eXposure to Trauma (NEXT) Study